The 2012 London Olympics will increase construction costs by nearly £4BN.
That is the view of the Taxpayers' Alliance (TPA), who claim that construction inflation is one of the major "hidden costs" of the London Games.
The TPA expect that the Games will increase the cost of new public buildings such as city academies and GP surgeries and new private housing, making affordability even worse for first time buyers.
It seems that the Olympic legacy will be the fattening of construction companies bank balances.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Designers Sought
The organisers of the London 2012 Olympics are looking to improve their design capabilities, and are seeking a panel of design and creative services consultancies.
The Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games have jointly asked for tenders to form a panel of suppliers specialising in a range of marketing, design and communications services.
Pity they didn't do this when they selected the firm that gave us the "Lisa Simpson Gives Head" logo.
The Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games have jointly asked for tenders to form a panel of suppliers specialising in a range of marketing, design and communications services.
Pity they didn't do this when they selected the firm that gave us the "Lisa Simpson Gives Head" logo.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
The Olympic Legacy
One of the curious side effects, or to use the fashionable term beloved by the IOC and other Olympic organs - "legacy", of the London Olympics 2012 is that of preserving Camelot's monopoly stranglehold over the UK lottery industry.
Camelot is expected to hold on to the National Lottery today, it has run the National Lottery since 1994. However, it is facing a rival bid from Sugal & Damani, an Indian based rival.
Despite the fact that Camelot is in a monopoly position, and as such it could be argued that it would be beneficial to open the market up to competition, it is unlikely to lose its stranglehold.
The simple reason being that it has been asked to guarantee £2.2BN for the Olympics 2012, the budget for which is spinning hopelessly out of control.
Sugal & Damani would have problems in guaranteeing that sum.
So those who look for an Olympic legacy need look no further than the lottery monopoly, something to be proud of!
Camelot is expected to hold on to the National Lottery today, it has run the National Lottery since 1994. However, it is facing a rival bid from Sugal & Damani, an Indian based rival.
Despite the fact that Camelot is in a monopoly position, and as such it could be argued that it would be beneficial to open the market up to competition, it is unlikely to lose its stranglehold.
The simple reason being that it has been asked to guarantee £2.2BN for the Olympics 2012, the budget for which is spinning hopelessly out of control.
Sugal & Damani would have problems in guaranteeing that sum.
So those who look for an Olympic legacy need look no further than the lottery monopoly, something to be proud of!
Monday, August 6, 2007
Wasting Taxpayers' Money
As if enough of taxpayers' money was not already being wasted on the London 2012 Olympics, eg on absurd logos, it seems that the organisers have come up with another means to throw money away.
The Olympic Delivery Authority has announced that it is looking for six people to work on staff diversity.
Each post will attract a salary of around £100K pa. Needless to say, hiring six people on that level of salary is merely the thin end of the wedge; large salaries need to be justified, therefore the six people will of course be hiring their own retinues etc to justify their jobs and salary levels.
The jobs currently being advertised include; head of equalities and inclusion at the Olympic Delivery Authority, equalities and inclusion manager, and head of diversity and inclusion at the London 2012 Organising Committee.
Here they are:
-Locog
-ODA
Sounds like the same job to me, why do they need so many people doing the same thing?
What a spectacular self serving waste of money!
Friday, August 3, 2007
Gagging
Human Rights Watch have accused the Chinese government of "gagging" dissidents, and clamping down on domestic journalists to stave off potential political instability.
Brad Adams, Asia director of New York-based Human Rights Watch, said:
"The government seems afraid that its own citizens will embarrass it by speaking out about political and social problems, but China's leaders apparently don't realise authoritarian crackdowns are even more embarrassing".
Brad Adams, Asia director of New York-based Human Rights Watch, said:
"The government seems afraid that its own citizens will embarrass it by speaking out about political and social problems, but China's leaders apparently don't realise authoritarian crackdowns are even more embarrassing".
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Livingstone Pans Budget
Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has panned the Olympics 2012 budget.
Speaking on BBC Sport Mayor Livingstone said that it would be a "defeat" if the Olympics in 2012 ended up costing more than £7BN.
The current budget now stands at £12BN including operating copsts, therefore he may have his hands full trying to reign that in.
The Mayor stated that the budget was in fact £5.5BN, thus muddying the waters.
Quote:
"I'll consider it a personal defeat if we do not knock several billion off.
We've now got a budget set for £5.5bn. Inevitably, things will crop up and it will almost end up at £6bn. I'd be quite proud if we kept it at that.
If it starts going over £7bn that will be a defeat.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has built in this huge contingency for just about everything that could go wrong.
Our job is to keep that to the minimum of things that could go wrong."
Mayor Livingstone then went on to say that "exploded" when he saw the 2012 Olympics logo.
"I'm the mayor of a city and the only thing any mayor wants in the logo is the name of the city enormous and predominant.
I didn't get that so I was a bit grumpy about that.
It was hidden from me up until about the last two weeks and it was too late to do anything about it.
I exploded pretty much as dramatically as the rest of the country when they saw it.
But it's the only thing that I haven't got my way on in the last two years so I can't complain."
Well said, the logo is crap as indeed is the budget.
Speaking on BBC Sport Mayor Livingstone said that it would be a "defeat" if the Olympics in 2012 ended up costing more than £7BN.
The current budget now stands at £12BN including operating copsts, therefore he may have his hands full trying to reign that in.
The Mayor stated that the budget was in fact £5.5BN, thus muddying the waters.
Quote:
"I'll consider it a personal defeat if we do not knock several billion off.
We've now got a budget set for £5.5bn. Inevitably, things will crop up and it will almost end up at £6bn. I'd be quite proud if we kept it at that.
If it starts going over £7bn that will be a defeat.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has built in this huge contingency for just about everything that could go wrong.
Our job is to keep that to the minimum of things that could go wrong."
Mayor Livingstone then went on to say that "exploded" when he saw the 2012 Olympics logo.
"I'm the mayor of a city and the only thing any mayor wants in the logo is the name of the city enormous and predominant.
I didn't get that so I was a bit grumpy about that.
It was hidden from me up until about the last two weeks and it was too late to do anything about it.
I exploded pretty much as dramatically as the rest of the country when they saw it.
But it's the only thing that I haven't got my way on in the last two years so I can't complain."
Well said, the logo is crap as indeed is the budget.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Doping Row Erupts
A row has broken out between Britain's doping authorities, over measures to improve controls before the 2012 London Olympics.
The British Olympic Association announced that it had established its own anti-doping commission. This sparked a furious reaction from UK Sport, the Government body which runs Britain's anti-doping programme.
John Steele, UK Sport's chief executive, said:
"We are in no way complacent.
Against that we must be wary of constant investigation and review, in particular where there is no formal mandate for it.
The last thing British sport needs, as we build up to Beijing 2008 and London 2012, is distraction, confusion about roles and duplication of effort. We all have significant roles to play - let's just get on with them."
The BOA commission has a mandate to make recommendations to "improve and strengthen" British anti-doping controls and to publish a report before next year's Games in Beijing.
A BOA spokesman said:
"Clearly we are disappointed at the reaction, as we honestly believe the commission's work can play an important part in the fight against doping.
Neither is it meant to imply any criticism of UK Sport, who work hard to ensure sport in this country is drug free."
It seems that the government doesn't like others to interfere in its plans for the Olympics.
The British Olympic Association announced that it had established its own anti-doping commission. This sparked a furious reaction from UK Sport, the Government body which runs Britain's anti-doping programme.
John Steele, UK Sport's chief executive, said:
"We are in no way complacent.
Against that we must be wary of constant investigation and review, in particular where there is no formal mandate for it.
The last thing British sport needs, as we build up to Beijing 2008 and London 2012, is distraction, confusion about roles and duplication of effort. We all have significant roles to play - let's just get on with them."
The BOA commission has a mandate to make recommendations to "improve and strengthen" British anti-doping controls and to publish a report before next year's Games in Beijing.
A BOA spokesman said:
"Clearly we are disappointed at the reaction, as we honestly believe the commission's work can play an important part in the fight against doping.
Neither is it meant to imply any criticism of UK Sport, who work hard to ensure sport in this country is drug free."
It seems that the government doesn't like others to interfere in its plans for the Olympics.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Skills Shortage Threaten Olympics
LibDem MP Don Foster has come to the stunning conclusion, that very householder in Britain has known for many years, that there is a skills shortage of electricians, plumbers and builders.
Congratulations to Foster for getting his name in the papers for stating that "little known fact".
Why the significance?
Seemingly this shortage poses yet another threat to the 2012 London Olympics.
Quote:
"Britain is facing a huge skills shortage that could undermine the success of the Olympics."
That, I suspect, is the least of the problems facing the 2012 Games.
Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said that "initiatives" were under way to provide local people with low skills levels with new work opportunities.
Well, she would say that wouldn't she?
The reality will be that the rates that these tradesmen charge will simply rise exponentially. as the date of the games draws ever nearer. Thus pushing the cost of the games above the current £12BN, and increasing the cost base of ordinary households as they pay through the nose for plumbers etc.
I guess that's what they mean when they talk about the "Olympics legacy"!
Congratulations to Foster for getting his name in the papers for stating that "little known fact".
Why the significance?
Seemingly this shortage poses yet another threat to the 2012 London Olympics.
Quote:
"Britain is facing a huge skills shortage that could undermine the success of the Olympics."
That, I suspect, is the least of the problems facing the 2012 Games.
Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said that "initiatives" were under way to provide local people with low skills levels with new work opportunities.
Well, she would say that wouldn't she?
The reality will be that the rates that these tradesmen charge will simply rise exponentially. as the date of the games draws ever nearer. Thus pushing the cost of the games above the current £12BN, and increasing the cost base of ordinary households as they pay through the nose for plumbers etc.
I guess that's what they mean when they talk about the "Olympics legacy"!
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